A common trend in machine design is to organize a machine on a modular basis, wherein certain distinct subsystems of the machine are bundled together into modules, which can be readily removed from the machine and replaced with new modules of the same or similar type. A modular design facilitates great flexibility in the business relationship with the customer. By providing subsystems in discrete modules, visits from a service representative can be made very short, since all the representative has to do is remove and replace a defective module. Actual repair of the module may take place remotely at the service provider's premises. As another alternative, some modules lend themselves to replacement by the customers themselves, and these are often referred to as “customer replaceable unit monitors” or “CRUMS.” Further, some customers may wish to have the ability to buy modules “off the shelf,” such as from an equipment supply store. Indeed, it is possible that a customer may lease the machine and wish to buy a supply of modules as needed. Further, the use of modules, particularly for expendable supply units (e.g., copier and printer toner bottles) are conducive to recycling activities. In addition, modules may be used for anti-theft or security purposes, for example, where the module may be removed by the user to disable the machine (e.g., face plates on automobile radios and wireless network cards installed in laptop computers).
For machines that require replenishment of materials on a regular basis, a modular design may be particularly useful. Materials may be pre-packaged in a manner that makes them easily introduced to a relevant module. Unfortunately, for some types of materials, e.g., toner, ink, and other printing materials, oftentimes current modular designs fail to solve the unwanted problems of material spills and difficult to dispose of expended material packaging.